Improvement in machines for pressing cigars



J. CAMPBELL.

Patented June 19. 1866.

Cigar Press.

7772916 sses fix...

PATENT OEEIcE.

JEREMIAH CAMPBELL, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR PRESSING CIGARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,619, dated June 19, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH CAMPBELL, of Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Device for Pressing Cigars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction of my press and appurtenances, and the operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my press, showing the top and side screws, with a series ot'press-boards, slats, and cigars under pressure. Fig. 2 is the bed or bottom of the press removed from the vertical sides to show the grooves d, for the reception of the ears on the lower end of the vertical pressboard E. The cars or prolonged tongues (0 shown on the top) fit in similar grooves on the underside of the top or screw plank, G, Fig. 1; also a single dividing-board G with its followers F F in place. Fig. 3 shows one of the double or full sized loose slats, J, with the gage-blocks K. Fig. 4 illustrates various forms of the vertical sides of the slats to press various shapes of cigars. Fig. 5 illustrates a pair of filling-in or partition press-boards.

My press is like other presses in common use, except being provided with side screws, H, moving horizon tally, and a vertical screw, 1, on top, removed from the center, so as to come centrally over the stack portion, containing the cigars, pressed up by the side screws, H also slots or grooves d, on one side in the top and bottom cross-planks, G D, for the reception of a vertical-sliding press-board, E, with its tongued ends 6 to fit in said grooves. There is also a right-angled niche cut out from the inner corner of the outer vertical side, (marked 13,) for the reception of projecting ends f upon the horizontal boards G L. These boards Fig. 5, are placed alternately in forming the stack.

G shows a slot, 9, along its prolonged ends, on each side, between which prolonged ends the vertical press-board E moves back and forth by the action of the screws H against, or that of the spiral springs s, fixed in its front within the grooves, to press it out as the screwpressure is withdrawn. All the boards have these prolonged ends or arms.

A pair of followers, F F, are affixed one on the top and the other on the bottom, and connected by a bolt or lug through the slot g, so that nnitedly they can slide back and forward on said arms, and be pushed against two tiers or layers of cigars laid between the loose slats, one on the board L, which latter may have a guide-strip, l, on each side, againstwhich the ends of the slats butt, the follower being adapted thereto also.

This being the construction of my several devices, the slats themselves may be used one foot in length, of the desired height or thickness of the cigar, made uniformly of like size or thickness. These slats are provided at each end and centrally with blocks aflixed, of half the thickness of the cigars, on each side of the the slat also, except the first and last in the series, which need only the halfblock K on the inner side, the last resting squarely against the vertical side of the press and the first against the follower. The end slat may be permanently secured to the bed-board, as it cannot move or be affected by the pressure.

The operation is simple, provided with the requisite number of boards and slats. The fresh-made cigars are laid on the board and the slats laid between them, two between each pair of slats lengthwise across the board, and each board is speedily filled as another is laid on top, and filled in like manner until the stack is ready for the press. The vertical pressboard being drawn back out of the way by turning out the side-screws, the entire stack is slipped under the press between the vertical sides. The followers beingnot quite so thick as the ledges J, are now out even with the end of the arms, and nearly in contact with the vertical press-board E, allowing room to slide the stack under, and the short projecting ends f into their niche, which brings all in line, when the top or vertical screw is turned, so that the dividing-boards are brought down upon the slats without binding them. This willslightly flatten the top and bottom of the cigars. The side screws are now turned against the vertical pressboard E and pushed against the followers F, sliding on and beneath the slotted prolonged ends or arms of the boards G, and, coming in contact with the outer slats, are pressed forward until all the gage blocks K come in contact along both series of cells containin g the cigars, and they can be thus pressed with ease and uniformity by means of the followers, vertical press-board, and side screws.

By using the top screw first you prevent any possibility of causing sharp-folded corners, as will happen by other devices in use, as might happen in this by first bulging the cigar greatly upward by a full side pressure and then forcing it down and spreading the upper face partly over the slats; but by downward or vertical pressure first a neat finish is secured.

A very neat and desirable cigar is made by means of slats made as shown by Fig. 3, bein g provided on each side with a rounded projecting ledge, 3'' as seen on the end. This produces a square cigar with a neat bead on its angles J, Fig. 4. J makes a hexagon, J octagon, J 4 a plain square cigar.

I am aware that slats with check-blocks and spiral springs sliding on side rods inclosed within an open frame are used; such I do not claim.

I am aware that side pressure is employed upon each independent board previous to receiving the vertical pressure, being the reverse action of pressure and liable to the objection I seek to avoid by first pressing downward to bring the dividing-boards in close contact with the top and bottom of the slats while the cigars are yet lodged loosely in the cells between them, when lateral pressure is brought to act with greater effioacy and produce a better finish.

The followers F might be made to extend beyond the boards and united by a lug outside the arms in place of the slots, but would destroy the uniformity of the face, so that I prefer the slots to move them in with a notch cut out when a side ledge or guide-strip, l, is used on the outer edge. The uniformity of the slats J and check-blocks K in size and and bottom, with the spiral springs acting against the tongues e of the vertical pressboard E are new, as are also the niches for the tongues f to fit in on the press or partition horizontal boards G L in pairs, to any de sired number, according to the capacity of the press.

I am also aware that cigars are pressed square and of various forms by devices differing in construction. I therefore attach no special claim to the form or shape of the cigar pressed; but I am not aware that loose slats made and used in the manner set forth have yet been used prior to my invention of the same, as herein specified.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A press provided with a vertical screw, I, and horizontal or side screws, H H, when the top and bottom cross pieces, (3 D, are provided with grooves cl on one end, in combination with a vertical press-board, E, arranged, constructed, and operating in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The loose slats J, provided with blocks K, on one or both sides at the ends, and when of double or triple length, interu'iediate blocks, all halfthe thickness desired to form the chamher, when employed in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. The partition-boards Gr L, with their extended arms and followers F, in combination with the vertical press-board E, constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose specified.

J EREMI'AH CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

Gno. SANnERsoN, JACOB STAUFFER. 

